Air-brake controller



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. C. WANDS. AIRBRAKE CONTROLLER.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. o. WANDS. AIR BRAKE CONTROLLER.

No. 604,244. Patented May 17, 1898.

NiTnD STATES PATENT Erica.

JOHNhO. VVANDS, OF ST; LOUIS, MISSOURI.

,AIR-I au/xiua CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent N o. 604,244, dated May17, 1898.

Application filed August 9 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN O. VVANDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Air-Brake Controllers; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-AFigure 1 is a plan viewof devices embodying my invention shown asapplied in connection with an air-brake cylinder and the levers of apassenger-coach-brake rigging. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the devices'shown in plan Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view of the turnbucklesheave, partlyin section, to show the pawland-ratchet mechanism of the turnbuckle, theguide-sheaves for the bridle rope or chain and the turnbuckle-rest.`lFig. tis a longitudinal sectional view of the turnbuckle and its sheave.Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a modified form of the devicesapplicable to'freight-cars. Fig. 6 is a view of the guide sheaves,turnbuckle sheave, and turnbuckle rest as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is aplan view of the devices as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is an enlargedlongitudinal sectional view of the modified form of turnbuckle andturnbuckle-sheave as applied to freight-cars. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sideview of the turnbuckle sheave and turnbuckle shown in Fig. 8, partly insection, to show the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism by which the turnbuekleis rotated; and Fig. lO is a plan view of the modified form of thedevices shown in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, as applied to afreight-car-brake rigging.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to the construction of a class of devices which maybeA properly termed air-brake controllers, inasmuch as they are intendedto adjust or take up the slack in the brake system and thus control thestroke of the air-brake piston, so that there shall be no loss of poweror waste of air in applying the brakes either in passenger or freightservice.

As is well understood, the effective working stroke of an air-brakepiston as commonly constructed is from six (6) to eight (8) inches, moreor less, and when the lost mo- Serial No. 647,566. (No model.)

tion inthe brake system from wear of the brake-shoes or other causereaches that amount the brake is ineffective and its efiiciency isreduced proportionately for Vallintermediate degrees of 10st motion upto said point. This class of devices as heretofore constructed anddenominated slack-adjusters have commonly depended upon the eX- cessivetravel or movement of some part of `the brake system at a point removedfrom the piston or upon a lever system operated from the piston-rod toactuate the takeup mechanism; but such constructions have proved more orless undesirable, (and sometimes inoperative,) because the intermediateconnections would not with certainty transmit and exert the requiredpower to actuate the slackadjuster mechanism, or because from the natureof their construction they required such a rearrangement of the brakesystems in general use as was either expensive,inconvenient, orimpossible. To overcome these objections and produce a simple,comparatively inexpensive, and thoroughly efficient means of taking upthe slack of the brake system and thus controlling the working stroke ofthe airbrake piston and one of a character adapted to the systems ofbrake-rigging in general use Vare the objects of my present invention.

To this end the main featureV of my invention, generally stated,embraces the combination, with the piston-rod of an air-brake and thetie-rod of a brake system, of an interposed turnbuckle andspring-retracted bridle or flexible connection between the piston-rodand turnbuckle, whereby any excessive travel of the piston-rod iscommunicated to the turnbuckle by the retraction of the bridle and theslack or lost motion is thus eliminated.

There are minor features of invention involving the construction of the`turnbuckle, whereby the tie-rod ends are guided into the buckle and thethreads thereof relieved from cross-bending strains and protectedfromdust and dirt, which might interfere with'the ef[i' ciency of theturnbuckle, and there are other minor features of invention relatingtothe support of the turnbuckle and the adjustment of said support whererequired, as in freight-car service, all as willhereinafter more fullyappear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention IOO more fully, so thatothers skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates an air-brake cylinder; a, its piston-rod; BB', levers of a brake system or brake-rigging, and C the tie.- rodconnecting said brake-levers. One of the levers, B, is connectedwith thepistonrod of the air-brake cylinder, and the other, B, has a fixed pointof' support, which may be the brake-cylinder, as in the case ofpassenger equipments, or the car-body, as is the usual case infreight-car equipments.

The tie-rod is composed of two sections c and c', threaded right andleft at their adjacent ends, where they are coupled up or adjustablyconnected by a` suitable turnbuckle D.

If the turnbuckle D be of the common kind (see Figs. 5 and S) which maybe used with freight equipments, I prefer to form the threaded ends c2of the tie-rod sections which enter the turnbuckle D of copper to avoidrust, which might interfere with the free operation of the turnbuckle,and to rivet or otherwise secure the same to tapped sleeves c3, by meansof which and jam-nuts c4 they maybe securely attached to the tie-rodsections c c. The preferred construction of the turnbuckle D, however,is that shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, in which the internal threads dd, which engage the threaded ends of the tie-rod sections c c', are setback in the buckle far enough to form outer chambers d d or vestibulcsto the buckle, which inclose or cover the threaded ends of the sectionsc c' and thus protect them from dust and dirt, and the outer portions ofthe bore are turned to fit the smooth parts of the tie-rod sections, soas to afford bearings therefor, to serve as guides and relieve thethreaded ends of the sections from strains arising from the cross orwabbling motion of the tie-rod sections. With such a turnbuckle thethreaded portions of the tie-rod sections may, if desired, be-cut onstubs and Welded to said sections c c', which construction is lessexpensive and more durable than the threaded copper ends.

Formed on or attached to the periphery of the turnbuckle D is theratchet-ring d2, with which engages the paWl or dog e ofturnbuckle-sheave E.

E indicates the turnbuckle sheave or pulley, which revolves on theturnbuckle and may be composed of separable sections adapted to inclosethe pawl or dog e, said sections connected by rivets, bolts e', or inother suitable manner. The dog or pawl e may be pressed by a spring e2(see Fig. 9) or equivalent means provided for maintaining it inengagement with the ratchet-ring d2 of the turnbuckle, and the journalsof pawl e are preferably formed integral with the paWl, one of thembeing polygonal on its outer or projecting end for the reception of awrench e3, (see Fig. 6,) whereby it may be lifted out of engagement withratchet-ringe? when the turnbuckle D is to be reversely rotated, as whennew brakeshoes are applied to the brake-heads.

In order to steady and support the turnbuckle D, a suspension loop orrest F is provided, which may, if desired, be formed integral with thebase-plate G, which carries the bridle sheaves g g. In the case ofpassenger-car equipment, where the cars are all the same height, thisturnbuckle-rest F may be fixed, (see Fig. 3;) but in the case of freight-car equipments, where the height varies from three (3) to five (5)inches, I prefer to construct the turnbuckle-rest F adjustable (seeFigs. 5 and 6) by means of setscrews ff or otherwise.

G indicates a base-plate adapted to be secured to the under side orbottom of the carbody, said plate provided with suitable lugs or ears inwhich are journaled the guidesheaves g g of the bridle, the sheave gnearest the air-brake cylinder being set at such an angle (see Figs. 1and 2) as will best accommodate the line of draft of the bridle. Thebase-plate Gis also provided with a perforated coupling-boss 'g2 for thereception of one end of tubular spring-case H, and said spring-case Hmay be supported by a clip 7L and have its outer end closed by asuitable cap h,(see Figs. l and 2,) or, if preferred, the clip and capmay be formed integral,as at II', Figs. 5 and '7. i

K indicates a flexible connection or bridle, preferably one-quarter-inch(y) wire cable, (see Figs. l, 2,'and 3,) but which may be a chain (seeFigs. 5, 6, 7, and 9) connected at one end with the piston-rod a of theair-brake, passing thence through bridle guide-sheave g to and aroundturnbuckle-sheave D, with which it is connected, as at cl3, and thencethrough bridle guide-sheave g into the springcasing H. Within thespring-casing H is confined a coiled or other suitable spring I, havinga bearing at the near end against the casing, and through said spring Ithe bridle K passes and is provided at its free end with an attachedblock 7c, movable in the springcasing H, which block constitutes theother bearing of the spring I.

Between the point'where bridle K is' connected to piston-rod ct and itspoint of connection With turnbuckle-sheave -D sufficient slack-is leftto permit of the normal or desired travel of the piston-rod withoutrotation of the turnbuckle-sheave D, and between the point of attachmentof said bridle K to the turnbuckle-sheave D and the attachment theretoof block Zo the distance should be such that the retracting-spring Iwill be substantially at the limit of its expansion.

The controller devices being constructed and combined substantially ashereinbefore pointed out will operate as follows: So long as no slack orlost motion occurs in the system from wear of the brake-shoes orotherwise the piston-rod a of the air-brake cylinder will have only itsnormal or predeter- IOO IIO

mined travel in applying the brakes and the turnbuckle-sheave D willremain quiescent; but as soon as there is any material wear of thebrake-shoes or from any other cause any lost motion in the systempermits the pistonrod ato exceed its normal travel it will draw on thebridle K, which, being attached to turnbuckle-sheave E, will cause therotation thereof, which rotation will cause the dog'or pawl e to travelover the ratchet-ring d2 of the turnbuckle without rotating theturnbuckle, and at the same time the free end of bridle K, which passesthrough the spring I, in-

Yclosed in spring-case H, will, through the medium of block la, compressspring I within the case I-I, whereupon when the piston-rod a recedes asthe brakes are taken off, the reaction of spring I, acting through thebridle K and pawl e on turnbuckle D, will cause the rotation thereof,and thus through the right and left hand threads draw the tie-rodsections c c within the turnbuckle and shorten the tie-rod in proportionto the excess of the travel of the piston-rod, thus eliminating theslack from the brake-riggin g system and controlling the next movementof piston-rod a or reducing it to its normal travel.

A little grease placed in the cavity of turnbuckle D before the sectionsc c are inserted will effectually prevent any rusting of the threadedends of the tie-rod sections.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with the piston-rod of an air-brake cylinder and thetie-rod of a brake system, of a turnbuckle, a tnrnbucklesheave, aiieXible bridle which connects the piston-rod and the turnbuckle-sheaveand means for actuating the turnbuckle-sheave in a direction the reverseof that caused by the connection with the piston-rod, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

2. The combination with the piston-rod of an air brake cylinder and thetie rod of a brake system, of an interposed turnbuckle, turnbuckle-sheave, and a spring-retracted bridle which connects the piston-rod andturnbuckle-sheave, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination with the piston-rod of an air-brake cylinder and thetie -rod of a brake system, of an interposed turnbuckle andturnbuckle-sheave, a bridle which connects the piston-rod andturnbuckle-sheave, and a spring with which the free end of the bridleengages, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination with the piston-rod of an air-brake cylinder and thetie-rod of a brake system, of an interposed turnbuckle and turnbucklesheave, a spring retracted bridle which connects the piston-rod and theturnbuckle-sheave, and suitable bridlesheaves, substantially as andfor'the purposes specified. y

5. The combination with the piston-rod of an air -brake cylinder and thetie rod of a brake system, of a turnbuckle, a turnbucklesheave, aturnbuckle rest or support, means for actuating the turnbuckle-sheavefrom the piston-rod and means foi` actuating the turnbuckle-sheave in adirection the reverse of that caused by its connection With thepistonrod, substantially as and for the purposes specified. 6. Thecombination with the piston-rod of an air -brake cylinder and the tierod of a brake system, of a turnbuckle, an adjustable means foractuating the turnbuckle in a di-- rection the reverse of that caused byits connection with the piston-rod, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

7. In a brake system, the combination with a tie-rod composed ofthreaded sections, of a turnbuckle having plain guide-chambers inadvance of its threaded portion the bores of said chambers turned toafford bearings for the unthreaded portions of the tie-rod,where bycross or wabbling motion and strain on the tie-rod sections is obviated;substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses,this 6th day of August, 1897.

JOHN C. VANDS.

